The biggest mistake job seekers make
I have this running joke with many of my girlfriends in that I always compare the recruitment and job seeking process to that of the online dating process. Now, if you are single in a city like Vancouver, where online dating seems to be the go-to method for breaking ground in a place that is notoriously difficult to meet people in, you will all too likely get exactly what I am saying. Even if you have never dabbled in the online dating world, my analogy may still be relevant to you, so I encourage you to read on.
I see it all the time, some people treat online dating like a numbers game – throw 50 generic, copy and paste messages out to potential prospects that they find appealing and hope that something sticks. They may get a few responses back, heck, they may even end up on a few dates and one may turn into something more substantial. The same adage goes for job seeking – what I see time and again in my day to day work is that slew of candidates that throw out those 50 generic resumes to random employers who post jobs that “seem” like they could be a good fit. I’m not saying there isn’t thought behind these choices. That pretty girl or cute guy with the catchy headline caught your attention for a reason. That company with the well-known brand whose products you love that posted a job right up your alley also caught your attention, for good reason. And, chances are that if you continue down the path of playing the numbers game based on first impressions, eventually something will stick – either through sheer luck or divine happenstance you will end up getting what you sought out to obtain – the steady relationship or the job with that company that sounded like a really cool place to work. However, chances are highly likely that if you utilize this method for either dating or job seeking, you’re going to end up feeling a misalignment and 3 months in you may be seeking your next opportunity or your next date.
I say this because I see it all the time. I’m an avid online dater and I live and breathe the recruitment process in my day-to-day life. I’m passionate about finding the love of my life and equally as passionate about my life’s work.
My advice to job seekers is simple – at least on the surface – what is of vital importance in pursuing a career to love or even being happy in your next opportunity is first getting clarity on exactly what you value the most and then putting in the work to truly understand whether or not the opportunity or the company is a fit. Without this clarity, you’re simply taking what falls in your lap and then wondering why you aren’t happy or fulfilled.
I’ll give you an example of my own journey – a year and half into my first recruitment job I knew something wasn’t right. I was working for a high profile company, placing top notch candidates for roles I knew would challenge them and push them to be their best, yet I was always in firefighting mode and feeling rather siloed in my role. When I had a win, the high was fleeting. I had a team that was geographically spaced out across the world, a boss who lived and worked in another country and I was getting few opportunities to really craft my skill set because I had so many conflicting priorities on my plate. I knew I loved the work but the company was simply not the right fit for me at that time in my career. I spent months honing in on exactly what success “felt” like to me and getting clear on the things I valued the most in my next opportunity. For me it was a collaborative environment, mentorship opportunities and a company that provided me ample opportunities to succeed. It was also essential that I worked for a brand that I truly believed in, one that I could “sell” to potential employees. For you it may be financial gain, job security or much of the same things as me. The decision to make the jump was an easy one when the right opportunity did show finally up, and I can say without an ounce of hesitation that I haven’t regretted it for a moment.
When you’re ready to pursue a career you love, that’s when this becomes important. If you’re happy jumping from one opportunity to the next then by all means ignore me – part of the journey of understanding what you really want comes from the trial and error process, from falling down and from perhaps even going down a path that may not be the most fulfilling long term choice. However, when you are ready to wake up everyday and work in a career or for a company that aligns with your values and truly makes you happy, that’s when you have to get strategic, that’s when you have to become clear on the areas you won’t negotiate on and those where you have a little bit of room to compromise on, and that’s when the alignment between what you value and the job opportunities you see becomes obvious.
If you are in a place where you feel ready to take that plunge into finding that career path or that next opportunity that aligns with your passions and values, I encourage you to reach out to me to start having those critical conversations. I’m someone who loves what I do with such rigour that I want the rest of the world to get the opportunity to feel the same way. Just imagine what the world would look like if we all had a career we loved!